Keighley

Police were first to arrive at Bracken Bank house after 999 call

Police officers battled to save four-year-old twin Riley Turner when they were the first to arrive at his home in response to a 999 call, an inquest has heard.

Ambulance staff had notified police that they were on their way to reports of a seriously injured child at 4.43am on Sunday, January 20, in Harewood Road, Bracken Bank, Keighley, the hearing in Bradford was told yesterday.

The police officers, who arrived shortly after the 999 call was made, were directed to where the injured boy was and they found him unconscious with multiple injuries, said Detective Superintendent Mark Ridley, who is the senior investigating officer in the case.

The officers tried to resuscitate Riley until paramedics arrived and he was taken to Airedale General Hospital at Steeton where he was pronounced dead by doctors at 6am.

It was Riley’s grandfather, Thomas Smith, who had to identify his body, the inquest was told.

A post-mortem examination was later carried out at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool but details of how he died were not revealed by Assistant Deputy Coroner Tim Ratcliffe.

Mr Ratcliffe and Det Supt Ridley referred to the wounds only as “multiple injuries”.

Det Supt Ridley told the inquest that the day after Riley died Anwar Rosser, 32, who also lived in Harewood Road, was charged with his murder and has since appeared at Bradford Crown Court where he was remanded in custody to await his next court appearance.

Mr Ratcliffe said Rosser’s legal team had not asked for a second post-mortem examination and he would therefore release Riley’s body for burial.

He said: “It’s appropriate for me to adjourn proceedings now for criminal proceedings to be concluded.”

Hundreds of people touched by Riley’s death had turned out to a fundraising auction and raffle last weekend, collecting thousands of pounds for his devastated family.

The event at the Bracken Arms pub, near where Riley lived, topped the £7,000 mark.

Riley's family has thanked the people of Keighley for their support and described him as a “bubbly happy child”. Bradford Council has offered counselling to the community and Riley’s school friends at Worth Valley Primary School. The school’s head teacher, Cheryl Edge, paid tribute to a “lively and enthusiastic boy with a cheeky sense of humour”.